Stencil printing machine



May 20, 1952 H. P. ELLIOTT STENCIL PRINTING MACHINE 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed Feb. 26, 1949 ydnZw y 1952 H. P. EIILLIOTT v 2,597Q464 STENCIL PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 26, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET Patented May 20, 1952 UNITED STATES QFFICE ATEN T Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in stencil printing machines and more particularly to portable manually operated printing machines of the general type wherein a printing device, such as a stencil, for example, is moved from a supply of printing devices to a printing position at which a printing roll is manually operated to print from the printing device on a work sheet or card at the printing position.

In my Patent No. 2,338,170, granted January 4, 1944, there is disclosed a printing machine of the general type to which the present invention relates but, in the patented machine, the operator is required to manually actuate the stencil feed mechanism prior to each manual printing operation.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a printing machine of the mentioned general type wherein a new printing device is moved to printing position automatically in response to each manual printing operation.

Another object is to provide a printing machine of the mentioned general type wherein one printing device holder holds a supply of printing devices in a stack at one side of the printing position and another printing device holder is located at the opposite side of the printing position for receiving printing devices which have passed through the printing position, and wherein a manual printing actuation of the printing mechanism sets a printing device advancing mechanism for automatic advance of the lowermost printing device in the supply stack to printing position during the return movement of the printing mechanism, with simultaneous advance of a printing device beyond the printing position into the receiving holder.

Still another object is to provide a printing machine of the mentioned general type wherein stencils are held in a supply stack and a stencil advancing slide is biased in stencil advancing direction and is pulled in opposition to its bias to a position to engage the lowermost stencil in the supply stack, in response to a printing operation of the machine.

It is, moreover, my purpose and object generally to improve the structure and operation of printing machines, and especially printing machines of the portable manually operated type which print from stencils or comparable printing devices.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a manually operable stencil printing apparatus embodying features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 1, with portions broken away, the operating lever being shown by dotted lines in its stencil printing position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the stencil tracks or rails, and the pivoted carrier plate therefor, the slide for advancing the stencils being shown by dotted lines;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the stencil advancing slide and its spring-return mechanism; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a stencil of the general type from which the illustrated printing apparatus accomplishes its printing.

Referring to the drawings, a base or platen I!) supports all of the operating parts of the machine, and the under side of the base preferably is equipped with protective feet I2, of rubber, or the like, to avoid marring of a desk or table on which the machine may rest.

The usual printing roll I4 is carried at the forward ends of the two arms 5 of a rocker frame indicated generally at l8, and an ink roll 20 constantly engages the printing roll, being carried at the forward ends of levers 22 whose rear ends are pivoted at 24, respectively, on the opposite arms [6 of the rocker frame l8. Springs 26, extending between the respective levers 22 and arms it, hold the ink roll in contact with the printing roll.

The rocker frame I8 is pivotally mounted on the opposite end portions of a shaft 28 whose ends extend through rearwardly extending portions of arms i6 into the fixed side bracket supports 30 which are'secured at 32 to base I0 and extend upwardly and forwardly, with their forward portions rigidly connected together by the plate part 34. Two coiled springs 36 have their upper ends connected to plate part 34 and their lower ends connected to a cross bar 38 of the rocker frame, whereby the springs constantly bias the forward portion of the frame upwardly, tending to hold the printing roll M in an elevated position.

A stencil track extends under the elevated printing roll It, the track comprising the spaced rail-s M! whose opposed edges are grooved at 42 for receiving the opposite side edge margins of stencils 44 which are movable along the track from a stencil holder 46 wherein a supply stack of the stencils 44 is held above one end of the track. The stencils move along the rails to and through a printing positon underneath printing roll 14, being pushed in succession along the rails to the stencil holder 48 at the other end of the walls of .the.-track grooves haveprotuberancesi (not shown). thereon'andithe stack of stencils-is supported on the protuberances with the lowermost stencil a little above the plane of the top.

surface of the under walls of the track grooves,

whereby a stencil moving along the track engages under the lowermost stencil in the stack and is pushed into the stack with a slight elevating of the entire stack of stencils, so ithat eachnewlyij entered stencil becomes the lowermost one in the.

stack, as is well known in the art.

Track rails 40 are mounted on a plate member indicated generally at 54 a'nd best 'seen in Fig; 3. The' 'rails are secured-toplate member- 54, as by the'screws '56, there beingan-opening 58 in theplate, between the rails, through which the printingroll 14 engages a stencil when-a printing is to beefiected from a stencil. Member 54 has 1 rearwardly extending arms" 60 thereon terminat ing in the cylindrical part 62 throughwhich shaft 28 extendsyor the part 62may be'solid withend trunnions -for pivotally mounting plate member 34 and rocker frame I8, at 28. In any case, how'- ever, the plate member 34-and the-rocker frame I8 will be separately pivoted at 28," so that each is free to'swing about-its pivot independently of theotheiz- Howeven-a pair: of leaf springs engage under the rear-rail4fl as best seen in Fig? 2, i and-"these springs constantly urge -the-plate mem-x ber 54 in counter-clockwise directionabout pivot 28;" as viewed in Fig'lz, so that plate "member 54,-

and the elements carried thereonafollow the printingroll l4 upwardly when the'rocker frame l8 swingscounter-clockwise about its-pivot 28 in Fig'l 2, and theplatemember 54 is forced down-1 ward, against the bias of-springs 64; durine1each clockwise-swinging of rocker frame l8,'as-viewed inFigL'Z.

The forward ends of leaf springs -64"are bent downward generally at right angles, as at 65, 'andopenings 66 through base or platenl0 accommodate these forward ends of the spring when the plate member 54 is depressed. 'Also','these portions- B5 of the springsconstitute stops for en.-

gaging'the inner edge of a worksheet W to prop? erly position the work sheetat the printing position.- The springs 64 preferably will be inter-' H connected and adjustable asa unit for varying the location of the inner edge of a work sheet W- It is desirable to provide lost motion between the-printin roll l4 andth track carrying: plate member 54 when the printing roll moves toward printing position. As herein shown, the printing roll shaft l5 has its ends extending loosely:

through upstanding ears 66 Ton plate member 54,

the ears being slotted at 61 so that the roll l4 can move downwardly 'a substantial distance before forcing the-plate member: 54 downward.

A customary ratchet mechanism (not shown) operates to rotate the printing roll a little in response to each printing operation of the apparatus, thereby to present different portions of the surface of the roll for printingcoaction with successive stencils.

with a hand grip 10. "Thelever is pivotallyicon nected at 12 to the extreme rear ends of the arms N5 of rocker frame I8, the lever having the feet portions i4 depending below the pivot I2, and each foot having a roller 16 thereon engaging the base l0 between two stop lugs 18, at opposite sides of the base [0, at the rear thereof. When the lever 68 is manually actuated from its full line position to its dotted line position, in Fig.2, the rollershifi roll rearwarialong base ID from; engagement with stops-:18 'into engagement with stops 8!], and the printing roll moves down, ultimately forcin the plate member 54, and the elements carried thereon, downward to effect a printing. I

When lever 68 is actuated to its dotted position in Fig-2, a stencil will be in printing positionfor=coaction..withiprinting roll 14 and platen in, When the lever is released and is returning to its-*fullline position of Fig. 2, the lowermost stencil in the supply stack at 46 will be advanced along thetrack rails 40 to printing position, pushposition-toward the stencil holder 48;;

According to the 'inventioma stencil advancing. slide .82- is actuatedain response to movementsof 1 lever 68.- Theslide 82 :is mounted onthe forward: one of the rai1s 40; and has an upstanding ear: 8.4 H to which one endof a flexible wire 86 is secured as at 83. Wire 86 'extendsfrom'earfl'to theileft: handend of the' apparatus, .as seen:in 'Figrl,

where-it passes through a fixed-guiding :bracket 1 90,-to which -a flexible casing 92 is secured;'theii casing extendin'g'rearward to :a fiXedLbracket 9.4 and. having: itszrear: endzfixedcto theJupper 12nd: of bracket 94, as tat 96: :Wll'fi'BB hastguided GX-C' tent through casing 92, it extending out o'ftthe-zcasing-throughgbraiiket 94; with its.rear :endaconnected to one.end:of a coil :springrflB whose other..- end is connectedat 'i 00 11:0 the hand; grip-portion: 5 of actuating lever .682? Hencegwhen lever 68a=is I actuated to its'dottedpositioninfl ig. 2, slide '32:

is drawnby wire. 86 toward. .the left hand end of the apparatus as viewed'in Figjtlr.

the left." A long'coil spring H0 has one end'connected to ear 84 'of theslideand has its other end connected to fixed bracket I06, whereby the slide constantly is biased to the: right along its sup-' A stop ele'-'- porting'rail 40; as viewed in Fig." 1. ment I [2 may be provided on rod I02 "for engaging bracket I06 to limit travel of the slide to the right, in Fig. 1.

Slide-82,'at the inner edge-of its supportin rail 40;'and at the left-hand end of the slide, has a portion I I4 p'rovidinga shoulder- H6 which is adapted to engageback of the'edge of the'lowermost. stencil in'the supply 'stackwhenthe'slide'is drawn to the left by a manual actuation of lever I 68." As the slide moves -to the left, the leading part.of portion 114 rides under the lowermost stencil, with'a slight lifting of the stack. As-soon as shoulder: H6 passes beyond the lowermost stencil, 'the stack settles back and shoulder I IE" will be in position to engage the adjacent edge of the lowermost stencil when-the slide moves'to the right, as viewed-in Fig; 1. Such movement'of the slide to the right iS effected by the coil spring HB' as soon as actuating lever 68 is released" and' An enlargement movesrearward to its full line position of Fig. 2, the stop element H2, or the like, stopping the slide with the picked-up stencil in printing position, ready for coaction with printing roll M on the next printing actuation of lever 68.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description, in connection with the drawings, that the operator needs to give no thought to the stencils as manual printing of work sheets or cardspro- -ceeds, the stencils being automatically removed from the supply stack of stencils and advanced in succession to printing position in response to manual printing actuations of the lever 68. Also, each stencil advanced to printing position pushes the preceding stencil along rails 40 toward the stencil holder 48 into which the stencils deliver in succession at the bottom of the stack of stencils therein.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a printing apparatus, a platen, a pair of rails mounted above the platen and constituting a track along which printing devices may be moved in succession to and through a printing position, means for holding a stack of printing devices to one side of the printing position with the lowermost printing device of the stack resting on said rails, a printing roll above the platen at said printing position, means for moving the printing roll toward and away from said platen, a slide member movable along said rails and having an abutment thereon for engaging back of an edge of the lowermost printing device in said stack of printing devices when moved in one direction along said rails, a flexible element connected to said slide member and to said means for moving the printing roll whereby a movement of the printing roll toward said platen efiects a movement of said slide member in direction to engage its said abutment back of an edge of the lowermost printing device in said stack, and resilient means constantly biasing said slide member in the opposite direction along said rails for moving said slide member and an engaged lowermost stencil in the said stack toward said printing position simultaneously with any movement of said printing rollaway from said platen.

2. In a printing apparatus, a platen, a pivotally mounted printing roll arranged for printing 00- action with the platen at a printing position, means for holding a stack of printing devices to one side of the printing position, manual means for actuating the printing roll into printing coaction with the platen, means biasing the printing roll in direction away from the platen whereby the printing roll moves out of printing relation to the platen when said manual means is released, a slide member movable between first and second positions and having an abutment means thereon for engaging back of an edge of the lowermost printing device in said stack of printing devices when said slide member is moved to said first position, a flexible element connected to said slide member and to said manual means whereby -a manual movement of said manual means, to actuate the printing roll into printing coaction with theplaten, effects a movement of said slide member to its said first position in which its said abutment engages back of an edge of the lowermost printing device in said stack, and resilient means constantly biasing said slide member to its said second position for moving the slide member and an engaged lowermost stencil in said stack toward said printing position in response to a said movement of the printing roll away from said platen when said manual means is released, the :said movement of the slide member to said second position effecting a movement of the, engaged printing device to said-printing position.

3. In a printing apparatus, a platen, a pivotally mounted printing roll arranged for printing coaction with the platen at a printing position, means for holding a stack of printing devices to one side of the printing position, track rails along which printing devices move in succession from said stack to said printing position, each lowermost printing device in the stack resting on said rails, a lever manually operable for moving the printing roll toward the platen, means for movin the printing roll away from the platen following each manual operation of said lever, a slide member for engaging back of the lowermost printing device in the stack and then movable to advance the engaged printing device along the rails to said printing position, a spring resiliently biasing the slide member toward said printing positon, a flexible tensile element connected to said slide member and to said lever whereby said slide member is moved in direction to tension said spring and to engage the slide member back of the lowermost printing device in the stack when said lever is operated to move the printing roll toward said platen, the energy stored in the tensioned spring moving the slide member to advance the engaged printing device to printing position when said lever is operated to move the printing roll away from said platen.

4. In a printing apparatus, a. platen, a printing roll pivotally mounted for printing coaction with the platen, manually operable means for moving the printing roll about its pivot in general direction toward the platen, means for moving the printing roll in general direction away from the platen following each manual movement thereof toward the platen, a supply receptacle for holding a stack of printing devices at one side of the printing roll, a receiving receptacle at the opposite side of the printing roll for holding a stack of printing devices delivered thereto, track rails extending between the two said receptacles and passing between said printing roll and platen, a slide member movable in opposite directions along said rails between first and second positions in the first of which the slide member engages back of an edge of the lowermost printing device in said supply receptacle preparatory to pushing the engaged printing device to printing position between the printing roll and the platen as the slide member moves from said first position to said second position, a flexible element tying together said slide member and said manually operable means whereby a manual operation of the manually operable means efiects a movement of said slide member to said first position, and resilient means constantly biasing said slide member toward said second position whereby said resilient means moves said slide member from said first position to said second position when said manually operable means is released for return movement following a said manual operation thereof, said slide member, when moving to said second position, pushing the engaged printing device ahead of it along said rails to said printing position between the printing roll and the platen.

5. In a printing apparatus having a platen and a printing roll arranged for printing coaction at a printing position and having printing devices 7 movable in succession into a printing position between the platen and printing roll, a slidably mounted member for engaging and moving successive printing devices to the printing position, a manually operable lever for manually effecting a printing coaction between the platen, the printing roll and a printing device at said printing position, a flexible tensile element tying together said slidably mounted member and said manually operable lever whereby a manual operation of said manually operable lever efiects a movement of said siidably mounted member to a first position in which it engages a said printing device which is to be moved to said printing positon. and a spring constantly biasing said slidably mounted member to a second position and opera.- tive to move said slidably mounted member from said first position to said second position when said manually operable lever is released for return movement following a said manual operation 8 thereof, said slidably mounted member, when moving from said first position to said second position, being adapted to push the engaged printing device ahead of it into said printing position.

HARMON P. ELLIOTT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 935,196 Elliott Sept. 28, 1909 1,624,685 Smith Apr. 12, 1927 1,637,443 Elliott Aug. 2, 1927 1,696,760 Geiger Dec. 25, 1928 1,996,954 Elliott Apr. 9, 1935 2,132,282 Ajouelo Oct. 4, 1938 2,338,170 Elliott Jan. 4, 1944 

